Port Vale will be aiming to bounce back to winning ways on Saturday, when we welcome Southend United to Vale Park. You can find all of the key information regarding the fixture, below.
Fixture: Port Vale vs Southend United
Competition: Sky Bet League Two
Date: Saturday 30th January
Kick-Off: 3:00 pm
Venue: Vale Park
Referee: Carl Brook
Port Vale
Manager: Danny Pugh
Form: WLDLL
Top Goal Scorer: Devante Rodney (7 goals)
Port Vale will be hoping to replicate our accomplished 2-0 victory from October at Roots Hall, when Southend United visit Vale Park on Saturday.
A win for the Valiants could see Danny Pugh’s side climb three places and move as high as 13th in the table should results go our way at the weekend.
Pugh will be back on the touchline after serving his ten-day isolation period in line with government guidelines, and our interim manager will have no new injury concerns going into the game, with Tom Pope and Dino Visser absent while Devante Rodney remains a doubt.
“We need to remember what we’re good at and where we’ve had success in the past in being hard to beat and creating chances and being on the end of them.”
Danny Pugh, Port Vale Interim Manager
Southend United
Manager: Mark Molesley
Form: WDLLL
Top Goal Scorer: James Olayinka (3 goals)
The Shrimpers have had a troubled season so far, with off the pitch matters largely taking full focus in the first half of the campaign and on-pitch matters seeing the club placed bottom of the Sky Bet League Two table.
However, an upturn in form around the Christmas period means that United are now within touching distance of breaking free from the relegation zone, sitting just two points behind 22nd placed Stevenage, though the Shrimpers have played two games more.
Despite suffering a 2-0 defeat against the Valiants back in October, Mark Molesley’s side will be looking to continue their battle for survival and will be giving everything at Vale Park on Saturday.
One to watch: Greg Halford
The 36-year-old right-back signed for Mark Molesley’s side in December, and has proved an invaluable part of the squad with his experience having the potential to guide Southend out of relegation trouble.
Halford started his career at Colchester United, having come through their youth academy in 2002 and would go onto sign for Reading and Sunderland, before signing for newly-promoted Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2009.
Finding opportunities at Wolves limited, he signed for Portsmouth on a permanent deal in 2011, before spells at Nottingham Forest, Rotherham United, Cardiff City and Aberdeen followed in the coming years.
Following the expiration of his contract at Aberdeen at the end of the 2018/19 season, Halford was without a club until the Shrimpers signed him in December 2020, where he managed to score on his debut, the final goal in a 3-1 victory over Grimsby Town.
Talk:
Danny Pugh: “It’s a big game for us on Saturday, there’s no hiding away from that, and we need to be fully prepared for the size of the game.”
Mark Molesley: “They are [struggling for form themselves] and a wounded animal, I've said it before, is dangerous.”
Coverage:
iFollow The Vale will be providing full 90-minute coverage of the match for all domestic supporters, whilst the Port Vale Twitter and Facebook feeds will be providing live updates for the entirety.
To purchase an iFollow match pass click here.
There will also be the build-up to the game with the official Snapchat and Instagram accounts: @officialpvfc
Reaction will be available on the website post-match, as well as on YouTube, iFollow and our official social media channels.